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Missionary of the China

OUR YEARS ago a trim launch steamed up the Siang River and dropt anchor at Changsha, the capital of Hunan. Without delay a party of foreigners and Chinese came ashore and began distributing in every shop and house attractive little boxes containing samples of cigarettes. Late in the afternoon, when the farmers and merchants from country towns were starting for home, these men stood on temporary platforms at the city gates and gave samples to all who passed. After canvassing the city, the sur

Inland Mission, 1897

rounding towns and villages were visited. Similar parties were busy in other centers, the plan being to touch every home and shop throughout China in the shortest possible time. As we saw their strenuous work, and heard their far-reaching plans, we thought of the thousands and thousands of towns and villages where millions of people, who had never heard of Christ, nor even seen a copy of God's Word, would soon be smoking free samples of foreign cigarettes. Our hearts burned with shame and sorrow, and at the same time throbbed with a great ambition. Why should not the ambassadors of

the King be equally comprehensive in plan, wise in method, and prompt in action?

Just at that time a gift came to hand from the Bible House of Los Angeles. "To be used for the free distribution of the Scriptures in Hunan." I invited an evangelist and Christian school teacher to my office, told them what I had seen, and asked them if they would not like to get up a party and spend their vacation in visiting hitherto unreached places. I promised to supply them with boat, food and books. They entered into the plan with enthusiasm, and party made up of evangelists, teachers and Christian business men from several missions put in a happy and blessed month of freewill service, and on their return gave a thrilling and inspiring account of their work.

A New Work Organized

The

We reported this work to our friends at Los Angeles, and told them, too, of the launch and the work of the cigarette party, and how it had stirred us. We also called their attention to the remarkable opportunity offered by the great waterways of Hunan to reach nearly every part of the province by boat. heads of the Bible House of Los Angeles saw the vision, they heard the cry of the twenty-two million people of Hunan, and they accepted as a commission from God the task of visiting, so far as possible, every one of Hunan's 4,268,000 homes, to tell the people of Jesus Christ, and to leave with them as a free gift a printed portion of God's Word.

The writer, a member of the China Inland Mission, was asked if he would organize and superintend par

ties of colporteurs to carry on this great undertaking. On consultation with the directors of the mission, permission was kindly granted to do so without any change in the relationship of the previous twelve years.

At present we have two parties at work, each party consisting of twelve colporteurs under the leadership of an evangelist, all living on a large

Chinese house-boat.

These boats are well adapted to our work, having a kitchen, a number of sleeping-rooms, and a goodsized saloon which serves as diningroom, study and class-room, and also as a chapel for small evening evangelistic services.

Floating Bible-schools

If colportage is to be successful it is absolutely necessary to provide for the maintenance of the spiritual life of the colporteurs. They must be men who are growing in grace and in the knowledge of God and of His Word daily, men in whose hearts is a constantly increasing passion for souls. We aim, therefore, to make our boats not merely colportage merely colportage boats, but floating Bible-schools. The men rise daily at a stated hour for their private devotions. Immediately after breakfast they have an hour of united, systematic Bible study under the leadership of the evangelist in charge, who is a man thoroughly trained in methods of Bible study and teaching. Every evening they have another hour of study. One of the day's studies is in the Old Testament, the other in the New.

In addition to a brief season of united prayer each morning, the men also have a weekly evening prayermeeting, and on another evening a

meeting for reports and testimonies. This hour has proved of great value.

The Method of Work

After the morning Bible study and prayer the men go out two by two to visit as many homes as possible in the villages near which the boat is anchored. Thoroughness is never sacrificed to numbers. While we urge the colporteurs not to waste. time in argument or fruitless conversation, we also seek to make them. realize that it is more important to do real heart-to-heart work in a few homes than to visit in a mechanical way a large number of homes. A recent letter from one of our leaders, Mr. Hsiao, shows how really they are entering into this spirit. Mr. Hsiao writes: "My earnest hope is that there may be in the heart of each colporteur, in the fullest measure, a burning desire to save men."

An incident in a late report shows the tactfulness and persistency of the men in their work. As they approached one home the people quickly closed and barred the doors and windows. windows. However, these windows, as is frequently the case in China, consisted of a lattice work over which was pasted tissue paper through which the voice could be heard as well as if the windows were wide open, so in spite of closed windows and the ridicule of some children, the two colporteurs stood outside and gave their message of love and joy and peace. Soon the doors. were opened and they were invited in. The people explained their action by telling of some rough men who had passed that way recently and had both robbed them and demanded supplies of food. "But,"

they said, "We know that men who bring such good news as you have told us can do us no harm, and we welcome you to our home." The

of the Christian religion. There is also a cordial invitation to the reader to visit a gospel hall when he goes to the city, to talk with the attending evangelist about the gospel, and to purchase a New Testament and study it diligently to get more light upon the truth.

One of these books, the "Fu-YinTso-Yao," or "Synopsis of the Gospel," is a brief connected statement of the life of Christ, wholly in words of Scripture, and makes very plain God's plan of salvation. Another book, the "Sheng-King-Tseh-Luh," or "Selected Portions of the Holy Scriptures," is the fruit of three years of prayerful labor on the part of two well-known Christian workers. The Bible House of Los Angeles has

MOSES LIFTING UP THE SERPENT

Chinese illustration, reduced, from "Selected Portions of the Holy Scriptures"

colporteurs remain in a house from 10 to 20 minutes, tell the people of the one true God, and of salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They show them a Bible and explain its character. They also tell them of the gospel halls established in various towns and cities, and on leaving, present them with a printed. portion of the Scriptures.

Books Specially Prepared for this Work

We have several specially prepared books of Scripture passages so combined as to form a connected narrative and give a simple statement of the way of salvation. Each has a brief introduction stating that the extracts are from the Holy Scriptures

THE WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS

Chinese illustration, reduced, from "Selected Portions of the Holy Scriptures"

printed over 800,000 copies in Spanish, under the title "Porciones Escogidas de la Palabra de Deos," and has circulated them in 24 Spanish